For most people in the southern United States, the sight of snowflakes gently falling from the sky was rare. But this January, an unusual winter weather pattern brought a rare blanket of snow to many regions mostly untouched by winter storms.
From Texas to Georgia, communities woke up on Jan. 21 to find their streets and landscapes transformed into scenes from a holiday postcard. In a region where snow was uncommon, snowfall became an exciting event, with schools closing, roadways slowing and families seizing the opportunity for snowball fights and snowman building.
In places like Dallas, snowflakes began to fall in the early morning, coating the city in several inches of white. By midday, local parks were filled with children, many of whom had never seen snow before. Southern towns, where ice storms were more common than snow, were largely unprepared for winter storms. Consequently, local authorities worked overtime to treat icy roads and ensure public safety.
The National Weather Service announced on Jan. 9, “Some of the heaviest snowfall will be over the Tennessee Valley, which will be 6 inches on Friday.”
Authorities were already discussing the next step—how to clear streets and resume daily life. The only thing more unpredictable than the weather was how people reacted. Local authorities issued urgent warnings to avoid traveling unless necessary, but the roads were still filled with cars creeping along at five mph, while others struggled to enter and exit parking lots.
Isaiah Hernandez, freshman theatre major, shared his perspective on the snowfall.
“The snow’s not going to stick around forever. By the time people here on campus read this, it’ll probably be gone, just like it always is. People will forget the chaos, forget the panic and go back to grumbling about the heat,” Hernandez said.
For Northerners, snowfall was routine—they simply threw on their boots and carried on with their lives. But for the southern states, a winter event became a cause for celebration. It also sparked conversations about the changing climate. With more extreme weather patterns becoming the norm worldwide, some experts suggested that southern states could see more frequent snowfall in the coming decades, though it was still too soon to predict any long-term trends.
Xander Shorts, freshman theatre major, spoke about the weather in Riverside.
“I don’t think they get snow in general, so I think it would be kind of fun. Like almost how we get snow here in California,” Shorts said.
Snowy weather remained uncommon yet increasingly impactful. While the South was typically known for its mild winters, these storms caused significant disruptions. As temperatures dropped, many hoped for the safety and warmth of those affected.
